Running commentary...

Distance running can be humbling, and reality can hit you pretty hard sometimes. That's what I found out at my namesake race, "Charlie's Challenge," held on Father's Day. While the event was quite fun in many respects, the reality of how far out of condition I have become pounded into my head with every dusty footfall of the final two miles of the nearly 10-mile course.

First the fun part.

I got to start 20 minutes ahead of the rest of the field, along with my wife, Deirdre. At the last moment, 79-year-old Don Hildebrand of Sisters joined us as well. Knowing that a pack of people would be chasing me gave the run a "fox-and-hounds" game-like feeling. I actually had trouble relaxing as I anticipated the distance I could make before the first runner caught me.

As expected, the one to catch me first was Stefan Redfield, a Sisters High School and Willamette University graduate who just completed a very successful collegiate running career. Stefan zipped by before I even made it four miles, indicating that he was going more than twice my speed.

Part of the chase game included an immediate prize for the first person to catch me, so I handed Stefan a $20 bill, and on he went to victory.

One by one the other entrants came by. Many were friends and people I had formerly coached. Taylor Steele swept by effortlessly and went on to place third. Bill Mintiens, who is at least my age, trotted happily past. Gene Trahern accosted me, laughed, and went on by. My college running buddy Ben Coutant and his dog Tootsie, who came over from Eugene for the chance to hunt me down, caught me just as the beautiful mountains came into view just past the "Running Elk" section of the Peterson Ridge Trail. Char Sundstrom and Jo Zucker came by swift as deer.

I got a cup of water from my son Noah, who was manning the aid station at the five-mile mark. As we finally got to head back downhill for a bit, a high school friend who I hadn't seen in over 20 years came by, awed by the beauty of the course. A few minutes later, grinning from ear to ear, was my 13-year-old son Izaak, who took utter pleasure in catching up with mom and dad. He was followed closely by Melissa Little, another Sisters grad, who couldn't believe she had seen me walking a moment before she caught me.

Another former runner, Deanna DeKay Czarnecki, whisked past and said the beauty of the morning made her think about moving back to Sisters from Eugene.

Don Hildebrand ran a bit ahead of me the entire race, offering words of wisdom and encouragement throughout. My wife dubbed him the "running angel" for being such an inspiration. She herself did all she could to keep me positive and moving along. She even improvised a cheer at one point as she danced along the trail.

Everyone who entered had caught me, except my friend Renee May, who was walking the course. I think even she has closed the gap.

My 18-year-old daughter Claire waited for me at the junction where the trail meets the pavement near Sisters Athletic Club, snapping pictures and smiling. I appreciated it all, including the "tunnel" formed at the finish line by everyone that came through before me and the commemorative "medals" with my round face as the centerpiece created by Tate Metcalf and Josh Nordell of Sisters Multisport. I was glad to be done.

Stefan Redfield won the race in 1:00:3. Let's just say, he did run more than twice as fast as me for the entire distance.

I remember being his age and running a 10-mile race on the bike paths in Eugene in 56:20. I was thin, young, strong and well-conditioned. Thirty years later and at least a pound-per-year heavier, the contrast is now quite stark.

Yet it was worth it, and I can say, "Wait 'til next year!"

In other news, the Sisters Cross Country team is hosting community runs every Monday and Friday morning at 8 a.m. from the Village Green, as well as evening runs at 6:30 p.m. from the Tollgate pool.

Taylor Steele and Mason Calmettes placed first and second in the 18-and-under age group at the Dirty Half (half-marathon) on June 12, and the big news is that local ultra-runner Sean Meissner won the Desert RATS stage race in Fruita, Colorado, this week. More on that after Sean returns and gives a full report.